– What do you think about Serzh Sargsyan’s announcement that he will invite the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to take part in the Armenian-Turkish border opening ceremony?
– It was a small payback to the permanent militant statements on part of Ilham Aliyev. It was a small prick to Aliyev.
– Do you think that Serzh Sargsyan’s speech in the Great Britain shows the path to the settlement of Karabakh conflict and Armenian-Turkish relations?
– There is no official thinking in those words. Generally one should speak with the language that is recognized in the international community. I don’t mean English or any other language but the diplomatic language of relations, the terms, norms of ethics, etc. Can you show an example proving that Serzh Sargsyan or Robert Kocharyan have ever addressed a comprehensive speech to the public? Do you know any example when they would say to the public what Armenia’s place and foreign policy priorities are?
– It has been numerously said that the parties shall not discover the secrets not to create obstacles for the process.
– Let them not to cover themselves with diplomatic conspiracy. In fact today there are no diplomatic secrets connected with the issue of Karabakh and Armenian-Turkish relations. We know what the other party wants. Currently Turkey wants the protocols to be adopted and connects this issue with the conflict of Karabakh. We know that Azerbaijan wants to resolve the issue in the complex of regional integrity. They are making efforts to make it penetrate into the media coverage and meanwhile there are grounds to allege that the liberated 7 region have become a subject for trading. The understanding of a border with Karabakh has been erased and the term of a corridor was imported, which can be understood in a limited manner. It is not a common border and it is a corridor with the length of several kilometers. Azerbaijan does not agree with self-determination and wants to solve the issue in the context of territorial integrity. As for the price we will pay for it, for example we can understand it from the announcement that Aghdam is not our fatherland. In fact it is about the seven regions. If they give out the seven regions, and even if Karabakh reaches independence through self-determination, it will be lost soon or later if being surrounded by Azerbaijan. Let’s pay attention to the fact that Azerbaijan refers to self-determination based on the document signed in Athens last year, which includes the principle of territorial integrity as well. In 1996 they brought such a document in Lisbon but Levon Ter-Petrosyan found enough power and braveness to refuse those interpretations. Turkey may step back only in case if there is any improvement in the issue of Karabakh. In 1993-94 they used to tell us that they would solve the problem with roads and communication if we returned several villages. Now Turkey is in the same situation but the demands are bigger. Hardly is it possible to make Turkey to adopt against giving several villages.
– Where does the logic of recent developments connected with the Armenian-Turkish relations and issue of Karabakh drive the process?
– It is nonsense to look for logic in the actions of these people. Their main goal is keeping the power in their hands. If they need to sacrifice Karabakh for keeping the power they will, and they are sacrificing Karabakh directly. Azerbaijan, which was weakened and made down during the war, stood up during 10-12 years because our diplomacy was weak. In contrary, Azerbaijan was relying on a huge system and has collected a lot of documents to attract the support of the international community.
– Do you mean that Aliyev is a more professional and skilled politician?
– Aliyev has a regime and a whole system for international relations. The fact is that this guy has passed a school and is continuing that policy. It is another issue that Azerbaijan is an authoritarian state. He prefers the state interests of Azerbaijan from his own interests. These guys don’t understand what the state interest is because they cannot weight it in dollars. We don’t have a stabile system, what we have is a criminal state led not by the interests of the state, but the narrow interests of the people on power. They would be better to grow more and read more books for twenty years to understand the diplomacy and politics well.
– If so, why did the Armenian National Congress stop struggling? Why don’t you flip and start criticizing? Do you wait for the moment when the authorities will fail these two issues in order to stand against them?
– No, the Congress does not look for failure; the Congress makes them understand that they have to protect the interests of the state. With his meetings and announcements he wants to make the people who don’t know anything about the processes understand what the real danger may be like. Rallies cannot be organized only for gathering. As soon as there is a necessity the Congress will organize a rally.